Clothes-line support.



G. LEPEVRE. CLOTHES LINE SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 4, 1911.

1,017,428. I Patented Feb. 13,1912.

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G. LEFEVRE.

CLOTHES LINE SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED D126. 4, 1911.

1,01 7,428, I Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

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GEORGE LEFEVRE, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

CLOTHES-LINE SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 4, 1911.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

Serial No. 663,892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE LEFEVRE, a citizen of Canada, residing at Lawrence, in the count-y of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Supports, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in clothes line supports. It is intended for use in connection with endless clothes lines which are so arranged as to be hung with clothes at one end after which that part of the line carrying the clothes is pulled outward toward a pulley or support at a distance from the operator.

As ordinarily arranged, a clothes line is united at each end to form an endless rope and is passed over a pulley near the building where the operator is to stand and over another pulley attached to some support on another building or other place at a distance from the operator. With the usual construction, while the line is endless, only one half can be filled with clothes on account of the impossibility of drawing the line filled with clothes around the far support without injury. My device is intended for supporting that end of the clothes line which is away from where the operator is.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of the device looking upward at a slight. angle; Fig. 2 is a similar view from the side and front; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation from the side; Fig. 4 is a sectional view from the top on lineXY of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the hood which I prefer to use in connection with my device.

A is the wall of a building or any other support which for convenience I will call the opposite wall.

B is a supporting bracket which may have four legs as shown or which may be of any other suitable construction.

C is a supporting rod which extends through a socket in bracket B and is fixed therein by means of a set screw 11 or other similar device so that it will not turn. This rod G preferably has a head at the bottom and is threaded at the top 21 to receive a nut 22. This nut may have a collar 23 interposed between it and socket 10 and serves to support the device.

A plate D is fixed by means of a split collar to the upper middle portion of rod C in such a manner that it cannot rotate thereon. Supported underneath plate D by means of depending hangers 31 of varying lengths is an inclined annular track 32. This track is so inclined that its highest portion is next to the wall A and its lowest portion away therefrom. The hangers 31 come on the outside of track 32 so that thewheels 52 to be described can run freely inside thereof.

At the bottom of rod C above head 20, I introduce a ball bearing 40. This ball bearing supports the drum F and in connection with the top bearing thereof 41 permits it to revolve freely and with very little friction. Extending vertically at intervals on drum F are a plurality of grooves 42 in each of which is arranged to slide vertically, a line holder H. Each line holder H'is considerably narrower than its groove 42 so that it slides loosely therein. The purpose of this is to permit the end 51 of holder H to be moved aside if a clothes pin happens to strike it. Each line-holder H terminates at the bottom in a hook at the end of which is a blunt end 51. These hooks should not be too greatly curved but preferably extend at an angle of about 90 degrees from drum F.

Each line holder H is supported at the top by means of a wheel 52 which rests upon and is adapted to run upon the track 31. To hold every line holder in place, I provide a strap guide 43 whereby each line holder can slide loosely and freely up and down in a groove 42 but cannot escape therefrom.

Preferably, I arrange a guard strap 44 which is attached to drum F and extends outward above each hook 50 of each line holder H so that the line cannot slip up therefrom.

I find it convenient to use a hood L over my device, the hood being suitably attached to bracket B and having openings 70 in the front to permit the passage of line K.. This hood protects the working parts of the pulley from the weather.

The operation of my device is as follows: The line K is passed around a pulley of any type near the operator then extends outward around my device passing around the line holders H above the hooks 50 and below guard straps 44. It is evident that as clothes are hung on the line and the line pulled around drum F, the friction of the line on holders H causes the drum F to revolve carrying with it the holders H and wheels 52. As the wheels are thus carried around they raise and lower the holders H and hooks 50. As the track is so arranged that the high point of the hook is next the wall A and the low point nearest the operator, the natural sag of the line particularly when filled with clothes is compensated for. That is to say, the hooks when down toward the front pass underneath the line and as they are raised by the wheels moving back, they lift the line thus keeping it always above the other hooks 50 which are descending as they come forward.

As the ends 51 of hooks 50 are blunt, the clothes are not injured as they are drawn around and it is an easy matter to leave the drum in such a position that the back hook upon which the principal part of the weight rests will come between rather than in the middle of an article of clothing.

that I claim as my invention and desire to cover by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a clothes line support, a plate, an inclined annular track hung underneath said plate, a rod which passes centrally through said track, a drum rotatably supported by said rod and having vertical slots, together with line holders slidable in said slots each having a hook at the lower end and a wheel which rests upon the track at the upper end.

2. In a clothes line support, a plate, an inclined annular track hung underneath said plate, a rod which passes centrally through said track, and ball bearings supported by said rod, combined with a drum rotatably supported by the ball bearings and having vertical slots, together with line holders loosely slidable in said slots each having a hook at the lower end and a wheel which rests upon the track at the upper end.

3. In a clothes line support, a plate, an inclined annular track hung underneath said plate, a rod which passes centrally through said track, and ball bearings supported by said rod, combined with a drum rotatably supported by the ball bearings and having vertical slots, together with line holders loosely slidable in said slots each having a hook at the lower end and a wheel which rests upon the track at the upper end, and guard straps attached to the drum which extends outward over said line holder hooks.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE LEFEVRE.

' mark lVitnesses HELEN F. LOESCI-INER, HENRY RAGOT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

